September 2014

September 2014 Blog of Education
Philosophy of Protection

I’m never surprised how often martial arts training comes up while teaching wilderness survival courses. It’s only logical to extend your survival training from the woods to the wilds of everyday life. After all, most of us spend more time living and working around the home and in cities than we do recreating in the great outdoors. It just makes sense to know how to protect yourself at all times if you claim to take interest in protecting yourself in the outdoors. How ridiculous, impractical and ignorant does this sound, “I know how to survive in the wild but I don’t know how to throw a punch”? Better yet, “I can forage and provide for my family but I can’t protect them at home”.

Guro Kevin Estela teaching Sayoc Kali in the UK at Sama Sama 2013

About this time last year, I started thinking about how there are universal rules to protection and how these apply to both wilderness and urban/suburban settings. I wrote them down and first presented them at a seminar at my buddy Guro Todd Jensen’s school, IPD in Tolland, CT. Many of these rules are those I’ve learned from my instructors in Sayoc Kali and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Some are from my experiences as an Instructor with the WLC, some as a Coach and others are those I’ve adopted from friends with very interesting and often unmentionable backgrounds.

As the summer winds down, I find myself writing non-stop and lining up courses for the fall, I plan on sending EWE instruction in a new direction to expand my base. I’m following the interest generated by recent tragic events and sharing with my students what I practice on a daily basis being proactive in defending who and what I value.

This is the Estela Wilderness Education Philosophy of Protection
Adopted October 3, 2013

1. Know your limits, test yourself and leave your ego at the door.

2. Be strong in mind, body, soul, finances, family and friends.

3. Train as you are (with what you have on you and what you’re wearing.)

4. Prepare to your ability and packing accordingly.

5. One is none, two is one and where there is one there is two.

6. Mind your surroundings and be aware.

7. Utilize all available resources.

8. Movement is life and stances are overrated.

9. Defense alone cannot win a fight.

10. You decide how and when the fight the ends.

11. Know how to run but be willing to return.

12. Not all fights are physical.

13. When seconds count, help is minutes away.

14. Win battles beyond surviving them.

15. Your house is your home. Keep problems from it.

These ideas, taken on face value are easy to understand. However, look for the deeper meaning behind each. For example, the final idea “Your house is your home. Keep problems from it” can be interpreted in many ways since “problems” manifest themselves in many forms including financial, emotional and physical. These are the beliefs that fuel the new American Survival Skills seminars I’m running. If you find them to ring true with you, let me know. If you find them useful, let me know. If you want to learn more, let me know. If you value them and stand by them as well, please share this page on your social media and let others know how you feel.